An Unkindness of Ravens

170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
Story by Pfc. Nathan Goodall

HOHENFELS, Germany – Amidst the tall mountains of Germany was a small aircraft. It sailed through the air, sneakily and silent. On the ground a group of Soldiers operated the plane with a high-powered laptop and a remote control. The laptop screen displayed a clear, detailed picture of the area, a live video feed from a camera on the plane.

Soldiers with the 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, training for mission readiness here during the month of October.

“Training right now is what’s going to help us when we deploy,” said Sgt. Jesse L. Mokhantha, a Rockford, Ill., native, now a cannon crewmember and UAV operator with C Company, 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment, 170th IBCT.

“We’re training to get the soldiers comfortable with the equipment and to get them advanced with it,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 John E. Clark, a Baltimore native, now the brigade aviation tactical operations officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 170th IBCT. “We definitely want to get these soldiers trained up before they get to theatre.”

By training out in the field, the soldiers were able to pick up skills that just can’t be matched by training simulators, said Joe O’Dell, a Hanford, Calif., native, now an unmanned aerial systems analyst with Military Professional Resources Incorporated.

“Actual hands-on training is better than any simulator anytime, anywhere,” said O’Dell. “Giving them this kind of training gives them first-hand experience.”

“It also gives them a chance to set up the system as you would in theatre or for any operation,” said O’Dell.

The 170th soldiers acted as they would in an actual operation, constantly staying in contact with flight towers via radio communication and performing comprehensive pre-flight maintenance checks.

The variables that come with a live operation were constantly present during the exercise, said Sgt. Cody D. Cox, a Norman, Okla., native, now an intelligence analyst with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 170th IBCT.

“You need to come out here, you need to experience the weather,” said Cox. “On the simulator, batteries don’t wear out. Planes don’t fall from the sky. A simulator can’t give you everything you need to know.”

It was real factors like these that showed Soldiers what to expect when operating a UAV during deployment, said Staff Sgt. Herbert A. Simpson, a Chicago native, now the assistant aviation operations sergeant, also the brigade Raven UAV master trainer with HHC, 170th IBCT.

“Getting out in the field helps set up all the operators and the companies for success,” said Simpson.

This live training was essential due to the importance of UAV’s on the battlefield, said Simpson.

“UAV’s can provide surveillance and security for force protection,” said Clark. “They can be used to help counter improvised explosive devices and they can be used to safely perform fire missions on top of many other uses.”

“I think it’s very important to have an asset that keeps troops off the ground,” said Simpson. “To have that surveillance to support the brigade is awesome.”

The soldiers trained on the updated RQ-11B Raven UAV, a small, lightweight, camera-equipped aircraft that is launched by hand.

The Raven was updated to convert its video camera capabilities from analog to digital video, said O’Dell.

“It’s more secure,” said O’Dell. “You can actually encrypt [the live video feed] and have it password protected.”

Some of the software on the Raven controller and capabilities with the aircraft itself were also upgraded, said O’Dell.

“That’s basically what we’re going over with these guys,” said O’Dell. “We’re making sure they’re proficient with the new changes so that they can operate the Raven safely and effectively.”

The training course was an effective way to go over these changes, said Spc. James G. Johnston, an automatic tactical data systems operator with A Company, 1-84 Field Artillery, 170th IBCT.

“You actually get to see how the bird is gonna act in real life,” said Johnston. “I started revamping my knowledge of the system, and this course helps with getting ready [for deployment].”

The course was a great opportunity to work with the Raven and build the kind of confidence and proficiency that Soldiers need to operate it on the battlefield, said Cox.

“It’s awesome. I love flying the Raven,” said Cox. “Anytime I can fly the Raven I jump at the chance.”

Sometimes the chaps even mod their Ravens